Traditional Music of the Kanuri People: Preservation Challenges and Opportunities in Borno State

This study examines the traditional music of the Kanuri people of Borno State, North East Nigeria, with a focus on the challenges and opportunities associated with its preservation in the context of prolonged insurgency and cultural displacement. The Kanuri possess a rich musical heritage encompassing praise singing, ceremonial drumming, and court music traditions that have historically reinforced social hierarchies and communal celebrations. However, the devastating impact of the Boko Haram insurgency on communities in Borno State has disrupted cultural transmission, displaced traditional custodians, and damaged physical cultural artefacts. This research adopts a descriptive qualitative design, drawing data from interviews with Kanuri musicians, community leaders, cultural officers, and internally displaced persons housed in Maiduguri. Secondary sources include recent conflict and culture studies from Northeast Nigeria and UNESCO documentation of endangered musical traditions. The study maps surviving musical repertoire, identifies key threats to transmission, and explores the role of digital archiving and diaspora communities in preservation efforts. Findings will provide a situational analysis of Kanuri musical heritage and propose a multi-stakeholder framework for preservation. This research is particularly timely given international and national attention on post-conflict cultural rehabilitation in Nigeria's North East. Keywords: Kanuri music, Borno State, cultural preservation, insurgency impact, traditional heritage.